393 articles Updated October 2026

Cheese Profiles

Complete profiles for every cheese worth knowing. Origin, flavor, storage, pairings, and substitutes.

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Cheese Profiles A to Z, page 13

Whole round white bloomy-rind cheese on a slate board with a folded linen cloth, pears and a bowl of nuts nearby - Moses Sleeper | KnowTheCheese

What Is Moses Sleeper Cheese? Jasper Hill's Brie-Style Wheel and Ripeness

Moses Sleeper is Jasper Hill's pasteurised, bloomy-rind wheel from Vermont. What it tastes like,…

Small white bloomy-rind cheese wheel with one wedge cut away on a pale plate - Mt Tam | KnowTheCheese

What Is Mt Tam Cheese? How Does This Triple Cream Taste?

Mt Tam is Cowgirl Creamery's organic triple cream. How it ripens from firm to…

Block of Muenster with an orange outer edge and pale interior, two slices cut from one end - Muenster Cheese | KnowTheCheese

What Is Muenster Cheese? American Muenster or French Munster?

Muenster is a mild American cheese of pasteurized cow's milk with an orange annatto…

Munster-style washed-rind wedge with potatoes, rye bread, and cumin - Munster | KnowTheCheese

What Is Munster Cheese, and How Does Ripeness Change It?

French Munster is a PDO washed-rind cheese, distinct from American Muenster. Learn how to…

White rectangular Nabulsi blocks with nigella seeds in brine beside cucumber and tomato - Nabulsi | KnowTheCheese

What Is Nabulsi Cheese? How to Desalt It for Knafeh or the Table

Nabulsi is a boiled, brined white cheese named after Nablus. See which milk it…

Bloomy-rind heart-shaped cheese beside a white block of soft fresh cheese, with bread and apple slices - Neufchatel Cheese | KnowTheCheese

What Is Neufchâtel Cheese? French or American? Check the Package

Neufchâtel is a French AOP bloomy-rind cheese from Normandy and a lighter US cheese…

Upright block of Nokkelost with a cut face and thin slices showing spice seeds - Nokkelost | KnowTheCheese

What Is Nokkelost Cheese? Cumin or Caraway, and Where to Buy It

Nokkelost is a Norwegian spiced cheese made with cumin or caraway and clove. See…

Cut block of hard aged cheese with white crystal flecks - Old Winchester | KnowTheCheese

What Is Old Winchester? Why Is It Mistaken for Cheddar?

Old Winchester is Lyburn Farm's 18-month hybrid, closer to old gouda than cheddar. Vegetarian…

Illustration of a short cylinder of pale yellow Oltermanni in a yellow wrapper with one wedge cut out to show small holes - Oltermanni | KnowTheCheese

What Is Oltermanni Cheese? Which Version Should You Buy?

Oltermanni is Valio's mild, semi-soft Finnish cheese, on sale since 1981. What kind of…

Two small washed-rind cheese wheels on a wooden shelf, one halved to show the paste and a few small holes - Oma | KnowTheCheese

What Is Oma Cheese? What Changed in 2024 and How Can You Buy It?

Oma is a washed-rind tomme from von Trapp Farmstead in Vermont, made with pasteurized…

Cut face of a blue cheese with ivory paste and blue-green veining - Oregon Blue | KnowTheCheese

What Is Oregon Blue? How Does It Differ from Rogue River Blue?

Oregon Blue is Rogue Creamery's cave-aged blue from the early 1950s, not the leaf-wrapped…

A cut block of pale cheddar with one slice laid in front on a wooden board - Organic Cheddar | KnowTheCheese

What Is Organic Cheddar Cheese? What the Label Covers and Why Colour Varies

Organic cheddar is cheddar made from certified organic milk. What USDA rules cover, why…

Illustration of a white brined cheese block with a piece broken off | KnowTheCheese

What Is Organic Feta Cheese? Why PDO Alone Doesn't Make It Organic

Organic feta needs its own certification separate from Greek PDO status. Is it vegetarian,…

Spindle-shaped Oscypek with its carved decorative surface pattern - Oscypek | KnowTheCheese

What Is Oscypek Cheese? Polish Sheep's Milk PDO and How to Spot Fakes

Oscypek is a smoked Polish PDO cheese made with at least 60% sheep's milk.…

Wedge of Ossau-Iraty with ivory paste beside a small scoop of black cherry jam - Ossau-Iraty | KnowTheCheese

What Is Ossau-Iraty Cheese? Why Black Cherry Jam Is the Classic Match

Ossau-Iraty is a PDO sheep's milk cheese from the Basque Country and Béarn. See…

Illustration of an orange washed-rind cheese, not an authenticated Oxford Isis product

What Is Oxford Isis Cheese? Honey-Mead Rind, Serving and Buying

Oxford Isis is a soft English cheese washed in honey mead. Learn what to…

Square bloomy rind cheese cut open with pear bread and pecans - Pack Square | KnowTheCheese

What Is Pack Square Cheese? Identity, Availability, and Safety

Pack Square was a square Brie-style cheese from Looking Glass Creamery. Check its documented…

White paneer block with cubes cut from it - Paneer Cheese | KnowTheCheese

What Is Paneer Cheese? Why Does It Hold Its Shape When Heated?

Paneer is a fresh cheese made by curdling hot milk with acid and pressing…

Aged Parmesan wedge with crystalline shards, fresh gratings, pasta, and a saved rind - Parmesan cheese | KnowTheCheese

What Is Parmesan Cheese? When Is It Parmigiano-Reggiano?

Parmigiano-Reggiano ages for 12-36 months to develop its crystalline crunch. DOP rules, flavor stages,…

Wheel of hard cheese split into two halves beside two almond-shaped knives - Parmigiano-Reggiano | KnowTheCheese

What Is Parmigiano-Reggiano? How Do You Spot the Real DOP Wheel?

Parmigiano-Reggiano is a raw cow's milk PDO cheese aged at least 12 months. Read…

Processed cheese slices, a block, and a spread on toast on a cutting board, with grilled cheese sandwiches on a plate and a bowl of soup - Pasteurized Processed Cheese | KnowTheCheese

What Is Pasteurized Processed Cheese? What Emulsifying Salts Do to the Melt

Pasteurized processed cheese is natural cheese heated with emulsifying salts. Learn what the label…

Pecorino Romano-style wedge with shards, grated cheese, pasta, and black pepper - Pecorino Romano | KnowTheCheese

What Is Pecorino Romano? Salt, Sheep Milk, and Pasta Uses

Pecorino Romano DOP is a hard, salty sheep's milk cheese aged 5+ months in…

A wedge of Pepato cheese studded with whole black peppercorns - Pepato | KnowTheCheese

What Is Pepato Cheese? Sicily's Peppercorn-Studded Pecorino Cheese

Pepato is Sicilian sheep's-milk pecorino with whole black peppercorns. Made to the Pecorino Siciliano…

Pepper Jack block and four slices, pale yellow with red and green pepper specks - Pepper Jack cheese | KnowTheCheese

What Is Pepper Jack Cheese? Which Chiles, How Hot, and How to Use It

Pepper Jack is Monterey Jack with bits of pepper mixed through it. Which chiles…